


The Night Must End

by notjustalittlegirl



Category: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
Genre: Claire is the sweetest, Depression, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, the kids don't know what's going on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-29 03:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8472910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustalittlegirl/pseuds/notjustalittlegirl
Summary: "Before going to find Olive, Claire decided to go and find Miss Peregrine, who is making dinner in the kitchen. "Miss Peregrine," she asked. 'Why is Enoch so sad all the time?'" When Claire discovers it, Miss Peregrine tries to explain to the children about Enoch's depression.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ayo, guess who finally used a title that wasn't from Taylor Swift??? This one is from Endless Night from the Lion King musical.
> 
> Unbeta'd and fairly unedited, any mistakes are mine. I do not own Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children or any of the characters and I am making no money from this so don't sue me.
> 
> I'm using the movie ages, just fyi. Hope you enjoy!

It's Claire who first asks when, after running happily upstairs to ask Enoch to come and play with her, she found the older peculiar simply lying on his bed, unmoving, and staring at the ceiling with glittering eyes. 

"Enoch," she had said, coming up closer to him. "Will you come and play ball with me and Fiona and Bronwyn?" 

He didn't even acknowledge that she was present, and kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling. She asked again, thinking maybe he hadn't heard her, only to get the exact same response. 

Claire had run back downstairs, thinking that maybe Olive would be more willing to play, but still Enoch lingered in her mind. This hadn't been the first time that she had found him like that. One time she had walked in to find him crying into his pillow, and he hadn't looked to be far off from that this time, based on the shimmer in his eyes. 

Before going to find Olive, Claire decided to go and find Miss Peregrine, who is making dinner in the kitchen. 

"Miss Peregrine," she asked. "Why is Enoch so sad all the time?" 

Miss Peregrine had turned, putting down her knife and brushing the specks of tomato from her fingers onto her apron. "Oh, Claire. Wait in the living room, I'll fetch the others. I think it's best to tell all of you at once." 

And now here Claire sat, next to Bronwyn and Fiona, on the couch, worrying as much as she had ever worried that something was wrong with Enoch. 

Once the final peculiar (Hugh) had taken a seat at the base of the couch, Miss Peregrine spoke. 

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to have this conversation with you, children," she said solemnly. "But it was brought to my attention a few minutes ago that it has not gone as unnoticed as I thought. Claire asked me today why Enoch always seems to be sad, and I can only assume that if she has noticed then at least some of the rest of you have." 

Olive was the first to nod. "Yes! What's wrong with him, Miss Peregrine?" 

The ymbryne pursed her lips. "Well... Oh, how to explain... I suppose the easiest thing to say is that our Enoch is a little bit sick. He has something called depression, and that makes him sad a lot." 

"But can't you fix it, Miss Peregrine?" Bronwyn asked. "You can fix almost anything!" 

Miss Peregrine sadly shook her head. "No, I can't fix it, and I'm not sure if and when it will go away." 

Claire felt like crying. She didn't want  _anyone_ to be sad, especially not all the time!

Quietly, Emma spoke up for the first time. "Is there anything we can do to help, Miss Peregrine?" 

Miss Peregrine didn't have an answer. "I don't know, Emma. I think the most we can do is try to make sure that Enoch knows that we are here for him." 

The mood far more somber than when the children had first entered the room, Miss Peregrine left to go continue cooking dinner. 

"If you have any questions, children, please do ask me." 

While the younger children went, slowly and somewhat guilty about being happy when Enoch was sad, back to their chores and games, Emma and Olive continued to sit on the couch. 

"Poor Enoch," said Emma softly. "I always felt like something was wrong, but I didn't think I should ask." 

Olive nodded in agreement, but Claire didn't stick around to hear the rest of their conversation. Instead, she followed Miss Peregrine back into the kitchen and found the other simply sitting at the table and doing nothing else. 

"Miss Peregrine," she asked. "May I go upstairs and visit Enoch?" 

The ymbryne nodded, smiling faintly. "I think that's a very sweet idea, Claire. I bet he'll love to see you." 

Claire wasn't so sure, but thought she'd better try anyway, so headed back upstairs and towards the older peculiar's room. 

Just as before, she didn't bother to knock, and found that the only change in Enoch's position was that he was in fact crying this time. 

"Enoch," said Claire. "Enoch, are you okay?" 

He seemed embarrassed at being caught crying, and sat up to look at her, brushing his tears away roughly. 

"I'm alright, Claire. Just tired." 

She raised an eyebrow, and hopped up so that she was sitting on the edge of his bed. 

"I don't want you to be sad, Enoch." 

If it was anyone else, Enoch probably would have snapped at them to leave him alone, but he had always had a soft spot for the little peculiar. 

"I'm fine, Claire. Really." The catch in Enoch's voice betrayed the truth of the matter: Enoch was far from fine. 

Claire didn't bother speaking again, simply crawled closer to Enoch and wrapped her arms around him, in the first hug Enoch had gotten in what felt like forever. 

At first, he was still as a statue, then he hesitantly hugged Claire back, petting a hand through her curls. 

They stayed that way for some time, and Claire only became aware that Enoch had started to cry softly again when some of his tears dripped onto her dress. 

"It's okay, Enoch," she said with her childhood innocence, and Enoch felt himself smile a little bit. 

"Thank you, Claire. I think it will be." 

Miss Peregrine called the children for dinner, snd and Enoch scooped up Claire and carried her down the stairs. From her comfortable perch in Enoch's arms, Claire smiled happily. 

Maybe she hadn't fixed it, that would take time, but at least she had helped.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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